It’s that time of year again! Five urban school board members have been selected as finalists for the Green-Garner Award, the nation’s highest honor in urban education leadership.

The Green-Garner Award is sponsored by the Council of the Great City Schools and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company. The award is given each year in memory of Richard R. Green, the first African American chancellor of the New York City school system and superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools, and notable businessman Edward Garner, who served as president of Denver Public Schools and helped establish the award.

The Green-Garner Award is presented to an urban school superintendent and board member in alternative years.

The finalists for this year’s award are school board members:

• Marcia Andrews, school board member, The School District of Palm Beach County;
• Valerie Davis, school board trustee, Fresno Unified School District;
• Warren Jones, school board member, Duval County Public Schools;
• Michael O’Neill, school committee member, Boston Public Schools; and
• Joyce Wilkerson, school board member, The School District of Philadelphia

The 2023 winner will be announced at the 34^th Annual Green-Garner Awards Banquet during the Council’s 67^th Annual Fall Conference, Oct. 26 in San Diego.

The Green-Garner Award winner will receive a $10,000 college scholarship to present to a student from their school district. Last year’s winner was Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District.